Height-adjustable table



Aug. 18, 1953 A. HUBBARD HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE TABLE Filed sept. 6, 1952 @Wanna nventor Cttomeg .LILI/1111.114...

Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED SEATES PATENT rOfFFIC'rE lHEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE TABLE {Albert-L. Hubbard, Compton, Calif.

Application September 6, 1952, Serial No.'-308,185

6 Claims.

.l This invention relates `to y'a .height-adjustable 'table `to provide an 'article of this v:type that .is

'convertibleffor diierent lpurposes.

Vthe latter portion, for'so counter-balancing said 'latter portion as v'to render `easy and facile the positional adjustment o'ffsaid latter portion.

Another object of the invention is to provide -novel and improved means to lock the adjust- 4`ment of the above-mentioned portions to adapt the table for use as a coiee or cocktail table in .its low position of adjustment, as a full-height table, and as a table of any intermediate height for particular purposes.

The invention also has for its objects'to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working Vposition. and yeasily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and lof general superiority and serviceability.

The invention lalso comprises novel'details of construction and novel *combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes'one'embodi- `ment of the ypresent invention, which is given 'by way of illustration or'example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevational and partial vertical sectional view Nof a height-'adjustable table according `to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view taken at right angles to Fig. l.

Fig. 3 `is a plan sectional view as taken on line '3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as taken on line 4 1! of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken in a plane immediately to the left ofsaid line 'll-4.

The present height-.adjustable table comprises, generally, a pedestal "Hl, 'a column Il telescopically tted into said pedestal and provided at the upper end'thereof withfa table top l 2,-means I3 mounted within-said pedestal #and operatively 4connected 'to said column -to upwardly project the latter vand the top l2, -andmeans 154 to releasably lock'the-adjusted positionfof said column land table `top'at-the height desired for the latter.

As shown, the pedestal lli compriseg a box-like structure having side walls -I5 and `end walls i6, said structure having an open top `into which column H extends. In gpractice, the height .of pedestal H3 is 'made to be such that, when the table top rests thereagainst, the latter is Vat Athe minimum height-ethe fusual height of .a -coilee or cocktail table. The lstability ofgpedest'al 'H1 may be Vincreased as nby Evcleats or the like I1 provided to enlarge the base dimensions of the pedestal. *While shown of elongated rectangular form in plan, the .pedestal maybesquare, if desired.

The column Il that :is `shown also comprises a box-like structure and fis Vof a size to zslidingly nt within Vpedestal flfi! with :suiiicient clearance to obviate vfriction or binding. `Saidcolumn-:comprises side walls i8 and end 'walls i9. :A .table top I2 of any suitable size ,and shape `isa'fxed lto the top of said column. .If desired, suitable cleats 2D may .be employed to ieiect `the interconnection of the column and table top so that nails or screws, used to effect :the interconnection, may be applied from beneath. Comparable means, other 'than 'cleats 52D, may vbe employed for this purpose.

From 'the foregoing, 'itwill vbe seen :that-a telescoping structure :is `provided that is interiorly hollow to provide ample space :for .accommodation of means I 3.

The means i3, :in the present case, isshown as a counter-balancing 'means `that functions in a quiet manner. As shown, 'said means comprises a base member 2li that Ais affixed to and spans between end walls I3 and is disposed lin the lower portion of .the pedestal, atpair of fixed standards 22 extendingrupward from member `2 l, a cap 23 connecting the 'standards at vthe '.top, 'a pair of coplanar grooved `pulleys 2'4 mounted on axles '25 in the upper p'orti'ons of said standards 22, a longitudinal lmember '.26 spanning between column walls .l5 and disposed between `the pair of standards $22, airope, 'chain Vor y'cable '2.1 vmiedly ysecured to said member 2.6, trained over each pulley 24, and extending downward therefrom, a weight 28 connected to the lower .end .of each said rope, chain for '.cabl'e, and an adjustable stop v29 carried by'memberF2S-'orb'y adep'ending member .3D beneath cap -23 Lto limit the uppermost position of member 2t and, therefore, iof tabl-e topiZ.

The above-described 'components of the means i3 are arranged symmetrically and centrally of ypedestal Ylil with fmember 26 fmidway between side walls fl Lof Ithe -column fli, pulleys 24 -on either side ioi side member '26 :and a plane transverse to the plane of said member, and weights 28 on the outer sides of standards 22 and preferably formed to nest thereagainst. Said weights are guided by the standards during the movement up and down, the weights being preferably notched at 3i to slidingly fit around the standards for guiding engagement.

The weights 28 are equal and, together, are made to be somewhat greater than the weight of the column Il and its top l2. Therefore, from any position of the latter, below its topmost position, the weights 28 are automatically effectivev as counterweights that raise said column and top. Stop 29 limits this upward movement o'f the column. Since weights 28 are only slightly heavier than said column and table top, only a slight downward push on the latter is needed to depress the same against the counter-balancingforce of the weights. It will be noted that both weights exert their pull on member 26. Since the latter is at the center of gravity of the table top, this equalized pull causes the column to slide upward in the pedestal without side tilt and also downwardly without such tilt when the approximate middle of the table top is pushed. Because of this balanced application of the weights, the accuracy of nt between the pedestal and column may be made on broad tolerances at considerable saving in the cost of manufacture.

The means l. to lock the height-adjustment of the column and table top is shown as comprising a iinely serrated member 32 on the edge of each wall I9 on one side of the column, a mating serrated member 33 for each member 32, carried by a loosely tted board or plank 34 of one wall l5, `a spring 95 interposed between the ends of said vboard and the edges or walls I6 to normally outwardly urge said board and, thereby, separate the respective mating members 32 and 33, and means 36 to press said board inwardly against the force of springs 35 to engage the serrations of members 32 and 33 and, thus, lock together the column and pedestal. The means 36 is shown as a threaded stud 37 tightly fitted in each wall l5 and extending through a clearance hole 38 in each end of board Sil, and a knob 39, in the form of a nut, on each stud. The springs 35 are shown as bowed leaf springs strung on said studs.

Loosening of knobs 39 allows the weights 23 to automatically raise the table top and allows depression of said table top. Tightening the knobs locks the parts, as above described.

To give access to the interior of the pedestal for assembly of the means i3, board 3G may be readily removed. Also, a substantial portion of Wall l5, indicated by panel blt, also may be made removable for this purpose.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is now regarded as the preferred embodiment, the construction is, of course, subject to modications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A height-adjustable table having a hollow pedestal and a telescopically tted column provided with a table top, counter-balancing means for said column and table top comprising a support standard in the interior of the pedestal and aixed thereto, a pair of coplarlal` grooved pulleys rotationally carried by the upper portion of said standard, a member disposed substantially between said pulleys and aixed to the lower portion of the column, a Vcable connected to said member and trained over each pulley to extend downward from the opposite edges of said pair of pulleys, and a weight on the end of each downwardly extending part of the cables, the weights being equal and the weightof both weights being greater than the weight of the column and its table top.

2. A height-adjustable table having a hollow Vpedestal and a telescopically tted column provided with a table top, counter-balancing means for said column and table top comprising a support standard in the interior of the pedestal and aixed thereto, a pair of coplanar grooved pulleys rotationally carried by the upper portion of said standard, a member disposed substantially between said pulleys and aixed to the lower portion of the column, a cable connected to said member and trained over each pulley to extend downward from the opposite edges of said pair of pulleys, an adjustable stop between said member and an upper portion of the pedestal to limit the extension of the column and table top relative to the pedestal, and va weight on the end of each downwardly extending part of the cables, the weights vbeing equal and the weight of both weights being greater than the weight of the column and its table top.

3. A height-adjustable table according to claim l; said weights being slidingly engaged with the support standard and the latter constituting a guide for said weights.

4. A height-adjustable table according to claim 1: said Weights, at all times, providmg a lifting force on the column and table top, and interengageable means to the pedestal and column to lock the pedestal and column to resist said force.

5. In a height-adjustable table having a hollow pedestal and a top-provided column, means carried by the pedestal interiorly thereof to exert a constant lifting force on the column, said means comprising a. pair of standards extending upwardly in the pedestal, a grooved pulley revolu- ,bly carried by the upper end of each standard, said pulleys being arranged in spaced edge-toedge relation and in a common plane, the lower end of the column being provided with a member disposed in a plane between the adjacent edges of the pulleys, a cable connected to said member and trained over eachsaid pulley and each having a free end extending downwardly of each respective opposite edge of said pulleys, and a weight on the end of each said free end, said weights being equal and their sum being greater than the weight of the column.

6. In a height-adjustable table according to claim 5: said weights being arranged to slidingly engage the standards which thereby guide them.

ALBERT L. HUBBARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 478,898 Westwood July 12, 1892 540,434 Gilllan June 4, 1895 744,613 Reimold Nov. 17, 1903 1,354,743 Haug Oct. 5, 1920 1,372,626 Michaels Mar. 22, 1921 2,272,819 Poetsh et al, Feb. 10, 1942 

